U.S. patent number 10,865,826 [Application Number 16/534,997] was granted by the patent office on 2020-12-15 for thrust bearing assembly for engine crankcase.
This patent grant is currently assigned to TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC. The grantee listed for this patent is Transportation IP Holdings, LLC. Invention is credited to Samir Vikas Joshi, Sandeep Namadev Kamble.
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United States Patent |
10,865,826 |
Kamble , et al. |
December 15, 2020 |
Thrust bearing assembly for engine crankcase
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a thrust bearing assembly
for a crankcase of an engine. In one example, a thrust bearing may
comprise a semicircular curved plate mounted on a main bearing. At
least two holes may be asymmetrically positioned on the surface of
the thrust bearing to allow attachment with a flywheel housing in a
unique manner.
Inventors: |
Kamble; Sandeep Namadev
(Bangalore, IN), Joshi; Samir Vikas (Bangalore,
IN) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Transportation IP Holdings, LLC |
Norwalk |
CT |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
(Norwalk, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
1000004349048 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/534,997 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C
17/045 (20130101); F16C 9/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F16C
9/02 (20060101); F16C 17/04 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Kamble, S. et al., "An Ornamental Design for a Bearing Apparatus,"
U.S. Appl. No. 29/701,027, filed Aug. 7, 2019, 9 pages. cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Johnson; Phillip A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McCoy Russell LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A thrust bearing, comprising: an arcuate plate having a concave
inner edge and a convex outer edge extending radially from the
inner edge to form a thrust surface; at least two holes in the
plate positioned asymmetrically with reference to a central axis of
the arcuate plate; a plurality of parallel grooves formed on one
face of the arcuate plate.
2. The bearing of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parallel
grooves is arranged symmetrically with reference to the central
axis of the arcuate plate.
3. The bearing of claim 1, wherein a first of the at least two
holes is positioned closer to a first set of the parallel grooves
on a first side of the central axis, and wherein a second of the at
least two holes is positioned further from a second set of the
parallel grooves on a second, opposite side of the central
axis.
4. The bearing of claim 3, wherein an arrangement of the at least
two holes relative to the central axis and relative to the
plurality of grooves distinguishes the one face of the arcuate
plate from another, opposite face of the arcuate plate.
5. A system comprising the bearing of claim 4, wherein the bearing
is mounted on a rear end of a crankshaft at a location where the
crankshaft is journaled within a crankcase housing.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the bearing abuts a main bearing
coupled to the crankshaft.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first set of parallel grooves
are not in contact with the main bearing.
8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a flange extending
from the convex outer edge, in a radial direction, away from the
one face of the arcuate plate, the flange abutting the main
bearing.
9. The system of claim 6, wherein the bearing is mounted on a lower
surface of the crankcase housing, and wherein the mounted bearing
abuts one half bearing of the main bearing.
10. The bearing of claim 1, wherein upon mounting, the at least two
holes are configured to mate with an alignment feature arranged on
a crankcase cover.
11. A thrust bearing assembly, comprising: a main radial bearing
including a pair of semicircular half bearings, each with a concave
inner surface, a convex outer surface, and a pair of flange walls
extending from the convex surface, the radial bearing configured to
encircle a crankshaft in a crankshaft housing; and a thrust bearing
including a semi-circular plate with a concave inner edge, a convex
outer edge extending radially from the inner edge to form a thrust
surface, a pair of holes positioned asymmetrically with reference
to a central axis along the thrust surface, and parallel grooves on
one face of the plate.
12. A system comprising the assembly of claim 11, wherein the
thrust bearing is coupled to a lower surface of the crankshaft.
13. A system comprising the assembly of claim 11, wherein the pair
of asymmetrically positioned holes are positioned at different
distances and different heights relative to a central axis of the
bearing assembly, the central axis running along a length of the
crankshaft.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the parallel grooves are
selectively formed on one face of the arcuate plate, and are
arranged at equal distance and equal heights relative to the
central axis such that a first hole of the pair of asymmetrically
positioned holes is closer to the parallel grooves along the thrust
surface while a second hole of the pair is further from the
parallel grooves along the thrust surface.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein an arrangement of the
asymmetrically positioned holes relative to the parallel grooves
distinguishes a front face of the thrust bearing from a back face
of the thrust bearing.
16. A system comprising the assembly of claim 11, wherein each half
bearing of the main radial bearing has an orientation tab on the
concave inner surface, and wherein the main radial bearing is
mounted on the crankshaft by aligning with the orientation tab of a
first of the pair of half bearings with the orientation tab of a
remaining of the pair.
17. A thrust bearing assembly for a crankshaft, comprising: a
radial bearing including a pair of semicircular half bearings, each
with a respective concave inner surface, a convex outer surface, an
alignment tab on the inner surface, and a flange wall extending
from the convex surface, the pair of half bearings configured to
encircle an outer surface of the crankshaft, journaled within a
crankcase, via aligning of the alignment tabs; and a thrust bearing
supporting a lower surface of the crankshaft, the thrust bearing
including a semi-circular plate with a concave inner edge abutting
the lower surface of the crankshaft, a convex outer edge extending
radially from the inner edge to form a thrust surface, parallel
grooves formed on the plate, and a pair of alignment holes
positioned asymmetrically along the thrust surface relative to the
parallel grooves.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the asymmetrically positioned
holes and the parallel grooves define a first face of the thrust
bearing, a second face of the thrust bearing, opposite the first
face, in face sharing contact with the flange wall of a lower of
the pair of half bearings.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first face of the thrust
bearing is configured to be in face-sharing contact with a
crankcase cover having a bearing with a poka-yoke feature, the
thrust bearing aligned so that a protrusion of the poka-yoke
feature mates with the asymmetrically positioned alignment
holes.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the alignment tab is configured
as a triangular prism with a right angled surface and a sloped
surface, and wherein when the pair of half bearings are aligned,
the alignment tab from each half bearing is juxtaposed next to each
other such that the right angled surface of each half bearing abuts
one another, and the sloped surface of each half bearing slopes
away from one another.
Description
FIELD
Embodiments relate to engine systems. Other embodiments relate to
thrust bearing assemblies for engine crankcases.
BACKGROUND
Crankshafts are journaled in engine blocks by a series of axially
spaced engine bearing assemblies. These assemblies include one or
more rotary bearings that permit rotation of the crankshaft while
supporting an axial load of the crankshaft. For example, the
crankshaft includes a thrust bearing that provides a fore/aft
gap-control for axial movement (also known as endplay) of the
crankshaft. The thrust bearing is typically located at a terminal
location, such as at a back end of an engine block, where a
crankcase cover meets the crankshaft.
Incorrect assembly and mounting of the thrust bearing assembly
during engine manufacture can result in premature engine
degradation. For example, if the thrust bearing is mounted with the
opposite side (than intended) facing the crankshaft, the crank
surface may be affected under conditions of high thrust loading,
especially during buff or coupling events, as well as during
dynamic operation. If the thrust bearing is mounted using a grub
screw and a counter sunk, the thrust bearing may need to be thicker
than desired, resulting in additional weight and manufacturing
cost. If the thrust bearing is made thinner, as desired, the grub
screw surface may damage the thrust surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Methods and systems are provided for enabling reliable mounting of
a crankcase thrust bearing assembly. In one embodiment, a thrust
bearing assembly includes an arcuate plate having a concave inner
edge and a convex outer edge extending radially from the inner edge
to form a thrust surface, at least two holes in the plate
positioned asymmetrically with reference to a central axis of the
arcuate plate, a plurality of parallel grooves formed on one face
of the arcuate plate. For example, in an embodiment, positions of
the holes and parallel grooves are selected/configured, e.g.,
relative to one another and/or to first and second planar surfaces
of the arcuate plate, to establish a particular pattern that
distinguishes the first surface of the plate from the second
surface of the plate.
In one example, a thrust bearing assembly may include a main
bearing and a thrust bearing. The thrust bearing assembly may be
positioned at an interface of a crankshaft housing and a flywheel.
The main bearing may include two semicircular half bearings coupled
to each other and to the crankshaft housing via tabs housed in
flange walls of the main bearing. A first tab housed in the upper
half bearing may align with a second tab housed in the lower half
bearing to ensure effective coupling of the two halves. The thrust
bearing may be mounted on a surface of the lower half of the main
bearing. The thrust bearing may include asymmetric holes to couple
the bearing assembly to a flywheel housing via a poka-yoke
feature.
In this manner, the use of asymmetric dowel holes on the thrust
bearing assembly better ensures that that a thrust bearing is
mounted with the correct surface facing the crankshaft. In
particular, it may be ensured that the bearing can only be mounted
in one direction. Further, the off-centered holes may be positioned
on the bearing surface such that an incorrectly assembled thrust
bearing is clearly visible to a technician, allowing for any
mounting error to be rapidly identified and addressed. By relying
on a simple poka-yoke feature, the thrust bearing assembly may be
made easy to manufacture without relying on additional production
and tooling costs.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to
introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are
further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to
identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow
the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter
is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages
noted above or in any part of this disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF FIGURES
The present invention will be better understood from reading the
following description of non-limiting embodiments, with reference
to the attached drawings, wherein below:
FIG. 1 shows an example embodiment of an engine system including a
crankcase.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a crankshaft and an associated
thrust bearing assembly.
FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a thrust bearing of the
bearing assembly with a poka-yoke feature coupled to a crankshaft
casing.
FIG. 4 shows a front view of the thrust bearing assembly when
viewed from a crankshaft casing direction.
FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the thrust bearing assembly
including a main bearing assembly with alignment tabs.
FIG. 6A shows a cross sectional view of the bearing assembly
including a first example alignment tab arrangement.
FIG. 6B shows a cross sectional view of the bearing assembly
including a second example alignment tab arrangement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example vehicle system 100. In the
depicted example, the vehicle system is a locomotive configured to
run on a track. Vehicle system 100 includes an internal combustion
engine 10. Engine 10 includes one or more combustion chambers
wherein air and fuel is burned to generate torque that enables
vehicle propulsion. As depicted herein, in one example, the
locomotive is a diesel electric vehicle operating a diesel engine
10 located within a main engine housing 102. However, in alternate
embodiments of vehicle system 100, alternate engine configurations
may be employed, such as a gasoline engine or a bio diesel or
natural gas engine, for example.
Torque generated by fuel combustion in engine 10 is transferred to
crankshaft 110 positioned in crankshaft housing 108 (also referred
to herein as the crankshaft block). In particular, the crankshaft
housing 108 is coupled to the engine at a front end 104 of the
housing. The crankshaft 110 may extend out of the housing 108 at a
rear end 106 of the housing. The protruding crankshaft at the rear
end 106 of the housing is covered via flywheel covering 112. In the
depicted example, flywheel covering 112 is hollow and included
recesses for receiving the protruding end of the crankshaft, as
well as for housing a flywheel 114. A (single) thrust bearing
assembly 116 is provided at the interface of the crankshaft housing
108 and the flywheel covering 112. Specifically, the thrust bearing
assembly 116 is provided at the rearmost end of the crankshaft
housing. This allows the crankshaft 110 to be journaled into the
crankshaft housing 108 and further into an engine block. The thrust
bearing assembly 116 is made up of at least a main bearing and a
thrust bearing, as described with reference to FIGS. 4-5. In
addition to the thrust bearing assembly 116, one or more additional
radial bearings 118 may be positioned along crankshaft housing 108
to journal the crankshaft 110. For example, additional radial
bearings 118 may be positioned equidistantly along the length of
the crankshaft housing. In one example, each of the radial bearings
118 may include an upper half bearing and a lower half bearing.
During operation of engine 10, loads on the crankshaft tend to
force the crankshaft in axially opposite directions. The axial
thrust may be significantly high during selected engine operating
conditions, such as during periods of rapid acceleration and
deceleration. Large axial thrusts can also be generated by the
action of a torque converter in an engine transmission. This causes
thrust loads to be imparted on the bearings. The thrust bearing is
required to absorb such thrust forces to reduce engine damage and
vibrations. Since the thrust bearing absorbs all the thrust force
(relative to other radial bearings), the unit area pressure on the
thrust bearing surface is high. By including a thrust bearing
assembly at the end of the crankshaft furthest from the engine, the
thrust force applied on the crankshaft can be better absorbed while
enabling the crankshaft to remain seated and journaled on the
crankshaft housing. In addition, sufficient oil film support can be
provided at the bearing to maintain a desired separation between
the crankshaft and the thrust bearing. A view of the crankshaft
along axis A-A' (y-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system 130),
when observed from the rearmost end of crankshaft housing, is
described at FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view 200 of a crankshaft journaled in an
engine block. The depicted view 200 shows the rear end of the
engine housing with the crankshaft journaled on a thrust bearing
assembly in an engine housing. In the view shown in FIG. 2, the
crankshaft housing has been separated from the flywheel housing.
Components previously introduced in FIG. 1 are numbered similarly
and not reintroduced for brevity.
Perspective view 200 shows a face of the rear end 106 of crankshaft
housing 108 with crankshaft 110 protruding out of it. While not
shown, it will be appreciated that at the front end of the engine
housing, the crankshaft is coupled to the engine and is configured
to receive and transfer engine torque. View 200 also shows a face
of the flywheel housing 112 with a recess 220 for receiving the
crankshaft 110. Once mated, the flywheel housing covers the
crankshaft end and the entire length of the crankshaft is contained
and substantially no part of the crankshaft is exposed.
The crankshaft 110 protrudes out from the face of the crankshaft
housing to mate into a recess 220 sized to receive the crankshaft.
One or more threaded holes 218 may be provided along a periphery of
the crankshaft housing 108 and flywheel housing 112 for coupling
the two blocks. In particular, the threaded holes 218 may be
positioned and sized such that when the crankshaft housing 108 is
juxtaposed on the flywheel housing 112 with the crankshaft 110
inserted into recess 220, the threaded holes 218 on the crankshaft
housing 108 line up with corresponding holes (that is,
corresponding in size and position) on the flywheel housing 112 and
the two can be mechanically bolted to each other via nuts, bolts,
screws, or other fastening devices, and the crankshaft is securely
mounted within a cavity defined by a combination of the crankshaft
housing and the flywheel housing.
The crankshaft is journaled into crankshaft housing 108 through the
use of one or more radial engine bearing assemblies positioned
along a length of the crankshaft (see FIG. 1) and a single thrust
bearing assembly 116 at the rear-most end 106 of the crankshaft
housing. The thrust bearing assembly 116 includes a thrust bearing
216 positioned external to a main bearing 214. In order to maintain
the axial load, the thrust bearing has to be mounted with a
specified first surface facing the main bearing, and an opposite
second surface facing the flywheel housing. This second surface is
the surface of the thrust bearing that is visible upon mounting in
the depicted view 200. A bearing 222, provided on the flywheel
housing 112, lines up against the second surface of the thrust
bearing 216 when the flywheel housing is connected to the
crankshaft housing, with the crankshaft 110 inserted into recess
220.
To ensure that the thrust bearing 216 is correctly mounted, as
elaborated with reference to FIG. 4, the thrust bearing may be
configured with a plurality of grooves and holes that, taken
together, generate a particular pattern that distinguishes the
first surface of the thrust bearing from the second surface. In the
depicted view, holes 212 are visible. The holes and grooves on the
thrust bearing are arranged such that when the thrust bearing is
mounted correctly, an asymmetric arrangement of the holes is
clearly visible to a service technician.
The asymmetric arrangement of the holes may be such that holes 212
in the thrust bearing 216 can mate with a corresponding poka-yoke
feature 224, also asymmetrically arranged, on bearing 222 of the
flywheel housing 112. As a result of the correct mounting, the
poka-yoke features 224 may align and couple with holes 212, as
depicted in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 shows a front view 400 of the thrust bearing assembly 116
when viewed from one end of the crankcase casing, in the direction
of the crankshaft casing 108. In the view shown in FIG. 4, the
crankshaft housing has been separated from the flywheel housing and
the crankshaft has been removed. Components previously introduced
in FIGS. 1 and 2 are numbered similarly and not reintroduced for
brevity. Upon assembly of the crankshaft casing 108 with the
flywheel housing, the threaded holes 218 on the crankshaft housing
108 may align with corresponding holes (that is, corresponding in
size and position) on the flywheel housing and the two sets of
holes may be mechanically bolted to each other via nuts, bolts,
screws, or other fastening devices. Axis Y-Y' denotes the central
longitudinal axis of the thrust bearing assembly 116 while axis
X-X' denotes the central lateral axis of the thrust bearing
assembly 116.
Cavity 408 in the center of the crankshaft casing 108 denotes the
region through which the crankshaft passes. The thrust bearing
assembly 116 includes a main radial bearing 214 encircling the
cavity 408. In the presence of the crankshaft (within cavity 408),
the main bearing 214 radially supports the crankshaft. The main
bearing 214 may comprise a first semicircular half bearing 403 and
a second semicircular half bearing 405. Each of the first
semicircular half bearing 403 and a second semicircular half
bearing 405 are arcuate including a concave inner surface and a
convex outer surface. The radius of the first semicircular half
bearing 403 (distance from the center of the cavity 408 to the
concave edge of the semicircular half bearing 403) may be equal to
the radius of the second semicircular half bearing 405 (distance
from the center of the cavity 408 to the concave edge of the
semicircular half bearing 405). As elaborated in relation to FIG.
5, in each of the first semicircular half bearing 403 and the
second semicircular half bearing 405, the concave inner surface may
include one or more tabs to mutually couple the two half bearings
and also to couple the main bearing to the crankshaft casing 108.
By locking the main bearing 214 to the crankshaft housing 108,
rotation of the main bearing 214 may be averted.
The thrust bearing assembly 116 may include a thrust bearing 216
positioned external to the second semicircular half bearing 405 of
the main bearing 214. The thrust bearing may be a semi-circular
arcuate plate comprising two surfaces, a first surface facing the
main bearing 214 and a second surface facing the flywheel (not
shown here). The thrust bearing 216 may be positioned on the
surface of the second semicircular half bearing 405 facing the
flywheel. The thrust bearing 216 may include a concave inner edge,
a convex outer edge, and two straight side edges. In one example,
the arc length of the convex outer edge may be equal to that of the
convex outer edge of the second semicircular half bearing 405 and
the thrust bearing 216 may extend from a first interface where the
second semicircular half bearing 405 meets the first semicircular
half bearing 403 to a second interface where the second
semicircular half bearing 405 meets the first semicircular half
bearing 403. In another example, the arc length of the convex outer
edge may be shorter than that of the convex outer edge of the
second semicircular half bearing 405. The thrust bearing 216 may be
of uniform thickness and may include one or more tabs along the
lengths of the two straight edges. The tabs may facilitate in
mounting the thrust bearing 216 on the second semicircular half
bearing 405 of the main bearing 214. In one example, thickness of
the thrust bearing 216 may be 4.47 mm.
A plurality of oil groves 412, 414, 416, and 418 may be etched on
the second surface of the thrust bearing 216. The oil groves 412,
414, 416, and 418 may not extend to the first surface of the thrust
bearing 216. In this example, the oil groves are symmetrically
distributed around the central longitudinal Y-Y' axis with two
groves 412 and 414 (first set of groves) on a first side of the
thrust bearing 216 (on a first side of the Y-Y' axis) and the
remaining two groves 416 and 418 (second set of groves) on a second
side of the thrust bearing (on a second side of the Y-Y' axis), the
second side of the thrust bearing opposite to the first side. In
this example, the oil groves are parallel to each other. In
alternate examples, the oil groves may be differently distributed
and may be transverse to each other. In one example, the thickness
and depth of each oil grove may be 10 mm and 1.45 mm respectively.
The oil grooves 412, 414, 416, and 418 channel a lubricant (not
shown) for developing a protective hydrodynamic oil film across the
face of the thrust bearing 216 during crankshaft operation, to
reduce friction and wear.
A pair of holes 212 are formed on the thrust bearing to enable
coupling of the thrust bearing assembly 116 to the flywheel via a
poka-yoke feature. Relative to the central longitudinal Y-Y' axis,
the two holes 212 are positioned asymmetrically. A first of the at
least two holes is positioned closer to the first set of parallel
grooves (414 and 414) on the first side of the thrust bearing 216,
and wherein a second of the at least two holes is positioned
further from the second set of parallel grooves (416 and 418) on a
second, opposite side of the thrust bearing 216.
By positioning the holes 212 in an asymmetric manner, during
assembly, it may be ensured that the thrust bearing is mounted on
the second surface of the main bearing. If the thrust bearing is
incorrectly assembled, due to the presence of the asymmetric holes,
a technician would be able to identify and rectify the error at the
manufacturing site.
In this way, the arrangement of the two holes 212 relative to the
central longitudinal Y-Y' axis and relative to the plurality of
grooves 412, 414, 416, and 418 distinguishes the one face of the
arcuate plate of the thrust bearing from another opposite face of
the arcuate plate.
In this way, the components of FIG. 4 enable a thrust bearing
assembly for a crankshaft, comprising: a main radial bearing
including a pair of semicircular half bearings, each with a concave
inner surface, a convex outer surface, and a pair of flange walls
extending from the convex surface, the radial bearing configured to
encircle a crankshaft in a crankshaft housing; and a thrust bearing
including a semi-circular plate with a concave inner edge, a convex
outer edge extending radially from the inner edge to form a thrust
surface, a pair of asymmetrically positioned holes along the thrust
surface, and parallel grooves on one face of the plate.
FIG. 5 shows an exploded view 500 of the thrust bearing assembly
116 including a main bearing 214. In this view, an inner shell of
the main bearing has been projected outside of the thrust bearing
assembly for better understanding of the interlocking mechanism of
the main bearing 214 and the crankshaft casing 108. Components
already introduced in previous figures are numbered similarly and
not reintroduced for brevity.
The main bearing 214 may comprise a first semicircular half bearing
403 and a second semicircular half bearing 405. Each of the first
semicircular half bearing 403 and the second semicircular half
bearing 405 are arcuate including a concave inner surface and a
convex outer surface. A first flange wall 503 (also refereed herein
as first flange) may radially extend from the edge of the convex
surface 508 of the first semicircular half bearing 403 while a
second flange wall 505 (also refereed herein as second flange) may
radially extend from the edge of the convex surface 510 of the
second semicircular half bearing 405. Each of the flange walls 503
and 505 may be arcuate bearing shells with a concave inner surface
and a convex outer surface. In this exploded view, the flange walls
503 and 505 are shown to be protruding out of the thrust bearing
assembly 116, however, upon assembly, the flange walls 503 and 505
extend radially inwards (away from the face of the main bearing in
contact with the flywheel housing) and encircle the crankshaft
positioned within the cavity 408. The flange walls 503 and 505 may
include one or more openings 507 to improve alignment of the
flanges with the crankshaft casing 108. The width and thickness of
the flange wall 503 may be equal o that of the flange wall 505. In
one example, the width of the flange walls 503 and 505 may be 53
mm.
As previously described in relation to FIG. 4, a thrust bearing 216
may be mounted external to the second semicircular half bearing 405
of the main bearing 214. The thrust bearing 216 may include a
plurality of holes 212 to facilitate mating with a poka-yoke
feature on the flywheel. Further, the surface on the thrust bearing
216 that is not in contact with the main bearing 214 may include a
plurality of grooves 412 and 414 to channel lubricant across the
face of the thrust bearing 216 during crankshaft operation.
The flange walls 503 and 505 may include alignments tabs (also
referred herein as tabs) such that the first semicircular half
bearing 403 and a second semicircular half bearing 405 may be
mutually coupled, and the main bearing 214 may be coupled to the
crankshaft casing 108. A first alignment tab 512 may be positioned
on the flange wall 503 while a second alignment tab 514 may be
positioned on the flange wall 505. Each of the two alignment tabs
512 and 514 may be positioned at an interface of the first flange
wall 503 and the second flange wall 505 such that upon aligning the
first semicircular half bearing 403 and the second semicircular
half bearing 405, the first alignment tab 512 and the second
alignment tab 514 abuts one another. Said another way, upon
juxtaposition of the first semicircular half bearing 403 and the
second semicircular half bearing 405, the first alignment tab 512
may align with the second alignment tab 514. If during assembly,
the first semicircular half bearing is positioned in place of the
second semicircular half bearing, the tabs will not align (not be
adjacent), thereby making it obvious to a technician that the
assembly has been erroneous (which can then be rectified). In this
way, the tab positioning enables a unique assembly of the two
semicircular half bearings.
The first alignment tab 512 includes a first triangular prism 512a
with a right angled surface and a first sloped surface 512b and the
second alignment tab 514 includes a second triangular prism 514a
with a right angled surface and a second sloped surface 514b. Upon
aligning of the first semicircular half bearing 403 and the second
semicircular half bearing 405, the alignment tab from each half
bearing may be juxtaposed next to each other such that the right
angled surface of each half bearing abuts one another, and the
sloped surface of each half bearing slopes away from one another.
The tabs 512 and 514 also couple each of the first semicircular
half bearing 403 and the second semicircular half bearing 405 to
the crankshaft housing 108. Once the first semicircular half
bearing 403 and the second semicircular half bearing 405 are
attached to each other and to the crankshaft housing 108, the tab
assembly 155 comprising tabs 512 and 514 may hold the main bearing
414 in position encircling the crankshaft.
In this way, the components of FIG. 5 enable a starter system,
comprising: a thrust bearing assembly for a crankshaft, comprising:
a radial bearing including a pair of semicircular half bearings,
each with a concave inner surface, a convex outer surface, an
alignment tab on the inner surface, and a pair of flange walls
extending from the convex surface, the pair of half bearings
configured to encircle an outer surface of the crankshaft,
journaled within a crankcase, via aligning of the alignment tab,
and a thrust bearing supporting a lower surface of the crankshaft,
the thrust bearing including a semi-circular plate with a concave
inner edge abutting the lower surface of the crankshaft, a convex
outer edge extending radially from the inner edge to form a thrust
surface, parallel grooves formed on the plate, and a pair of
alignment holes positioned asymmetrically along the thrust surface
relative to the parallel grooves.
FIG. 6A shows a cross sectional view 600 of the bearing assembly
601 including a first example alignment tab arrangement. As seen in
FIG. 6A, the bearing assembly may be visible through the thrust
bearing and the main bearing in the direction of the main engine
housing. In one example, the cross sectional view 600 may be a
cross section of the crankshaft housing 108 (as seen in FIG. 1)
along the X-Y plane.
One or more radial bearings 118 may be positioned along crankshaft
housing 108 to journal the crankshaft passing through the cavity
621. The radial bearings 118 may be positioned equidistantly along
the length of the crankshaft housing. In FIG. 6A, two such radial
bearings 620 and 640 are shown. The first radial bearing 620 may
comprise an upper half bearing 622 and a lower half bearing 624.
The two half bearings 622 and 624 may be joined via tabs 602 and
604. In the first example of alignment tab arrangement, a first tab
602 coupled to the upper half bearing 622 may be positioned at a
first edge of the upper half bearing 622, proximal to a left wall
612 of the upper half bearing 622 while a second tab 604 coupled to
the lower half bearing 624 may be positioned at a second edge of
the lower half bearing 624 proximal to a right wall 614 of the
lower half bearing 624. Upon coupling of the upper half bearing 622
with the lower half bearing 624, the first edge of the upper half
bearing 622 abuts the second edge of the lower half bearing 624.
Similarly, the second radial bearing 640 may comprise an upper half
bearing 642 and a lower half bearing 644. The two half bearings 642
and 644 may be joined via tabs 606 and 606. In the first example of
alignment tab arrangement, a first tab 606 coupled to the upper
half bearing 642 may be positioned at a first edge of the upper
half bearing 642, proximal to a left wall 616 of the upper half
bearing 642 while a second tab 608 coupled to the lower half
bearing 644 may be positioned at a second edge of the lower half
bearing 644 proximal to a right wall 618 of the lower half bearing
644. Upon coupling of the upper half bearing 642 with the lower
half bearing 644, the first edge of the upper half bearing 642
abuts the second edge of the lower half bearing 644.
However, during assembly of the radial bearings, if the lower half
bearing is erroneously swapped with the upper half bearing, based
on the alignment of the tabs (after the assembly), it would not be
visible to the technician. Such inaccurate assembly may cause
increased stress on the bearings, thereby causing degradation. In
order to avert any possibilities of erroneous assembly, the tabs
may be positioned differently on the flange walls.
FIG. 6B shows a cross sectional view 650 of the bearing assembly
601 including a second example alignment tab arrangement. As an
example, cross sectional view 650 may be the window 630 as seen in
FIG. 6A. In this tab arrangement, a first tab 652 coupled to an
upper half bearing 642 (of radial bearing 640) may be positioned at
a first edge of the upper half bearing 622, proximal to a left wall
615 of the upper half bearing 652. While, a second tab 654 coupled
to a lower half bearing 644 (of radial bearing 640) may be
positioned at a second edge of the lower half bearing 624, also
proximal to the left wall 615. Upon juxtaposition of the first
semicircular half bearing 642 and the second semicircular half
bearing 644, the first tab 652 may align with the second tab 654.
If during assembly, the first semicircular half bearing is
positioned in place of the second semicircular half bearing, the
tabs will not align, thereby making it obvious to a technician that
the assembly has been erroneous (which can then be rectified). In
this way, by positioning the two tabs 652 and 654 proximal to the
same wall 616, manufacturing errors for a bearing assembly 601 may
be reduced.
In this way, by using asymmetric holes in the thrust bearing,
possibility of incorrectly attaching the thrust bearing to the main
bearing may be reduced. Due to the orientation of the holes, an
erroneously mounted thrust plate may be identified at the
manufacturing facility and may be rectified. Also, by aligning the
tabs on the two half bearings of a main bearing, the half bearings
may be installed in a single arrangement, thereby reducing the
possibility of manufacturing errors.
A thrust bearing comprises: an arcuate plate having a concave inner
edge and a convex outer edge extending radially from the inner edge
to form a thrust surface, at least two holes in the plate
positioned asymmetrically with reference to a central axis of the
arcuate plate, a plurality of parallel grooves formed on one face
of the arcuate plate. In any preceding example, additionally or
optionally, the plurality of parallel grooves are arranged
symmetrically with reference to the central axis of the arcuate
plate. In any or all of the preceding examples, the circuit further
comprising, additionally or optionally, a first of the at least two
holes is positioned closer to a first set of parallel grooves on a
first side of the central axis, and wherein a second of the at
least two holes is positioned further from a second set of parallel
grooves on a second, opposite side of the central axis. In any or
all of the preceding examples, additionally or optionally, an
arrangement of the at least two holes relative to the central axis
and relative to the plurality of grooves distinguishes the one face
of the arcuate plate from another opposite face of the arcuate
plate. In any or all of the preceding examples, additionally or
optionally, the bearing is mounted on a rear end of a crankshaft at
a location where the crankshaft is journaled within a crankcase
housing. In any or all of the preceding examples, additionally or
optionally, the thrust bearing, when mounted, abuts a main bearing
coupled to the crankshaft. In any or all of the preceding examples,
the circuit further comprising, additionally or optionally, when
the thrust bearing is mounted, the first set of parallel grooves
are not in contact with the main bearing. In any or all of the
preceding examples, further comprising, additionally or optionally,
a flange extending from the convex outer edge, in a radial
direction, away from the one face of the arcuate plate, the flange
abutting the main bearing. In any or all of the preceding examples,
additionally or optionally, the bearing is mounted on a lower
surface of the crankcase, and wherein the mounted thrust bearing
abuts one half bearing of the main bearing. In any or all of the
preceding examples, additionally or optionally, the at least two
holes are configured to mate with an alignment feature arranged on
a crankcase cover.
Another example thrust bearing assembly for a crankshaft,
comprises: a main radial bearing including a pair of semicircular
half bearings, each with a concave inner surface, a convex outer
surface, and a pair of flange walls extending from the convex
surface, the radial bearing configured to encircle a crankshaft in
a crankshaft housing, and a thrust bearing including a
semi-circular plate with a concave inner edge, a convex outer edge
extending radially from the inner edge to form a thrust surface, a
pair of asymmetrically positioned holes along the thrust surface,
and parallel grooves on one face of the plate. In any preceding
example, additionally or optionally, the thrust bearing is coupled
to a lower surface of the crankshaft. In any or all of the
preceding examples, additionally or optionally, the pair of
asymmetrically positioned holes are positioned at different
distances and different heights relative to a central axis of the
bearing assembly, the central axis running along a length of the
crankshaft. In any or all of the preceding examples, additionally
or optionally, the parallel grooves are formed on one face of the
arcuate plate, and are arranged at equal distance and equal heights
relative to the central axis such that a first hole of the pair of
asymmetrically positioned holes is closer to the parallel grooves
along the thrust surface while a second hole of the pair is further
from the parallel grooves along the thrust surface. In any or all
of the preceding examples, additionally or optionally, an
arrangement of the asymmetrically positioned holes relative to the
parallel grooves distinguishes a front face of the thrust bearing
from a back face of the bearing. In any or all of the preceding
examples, additionally or optionally, each half bearing of the main
bearing has an orientation tab on the concave inner surface, and
wherein the main radial bearing is mounted on the crankshaft by
aligning with the orientation tab of a first of the pair of half
bearings with the orientation tab of a remaining of the pair.
In yet another example, a thrust bearing assembly for a crankshaft,
comprises: a radial bearing including a pair of semicircular half
bearings, each with a concave inner surface, a convex outer
surface, an alignment tab on the inner surface, and a pair of
flange walls extending from the convex surface, the pair of half
bearings configured to encircle an outer surface of the crankshaft,
journaled within a crankcase, via aligning of the alignment tab,
and a thrust bearing supporting a lower surface of the crankshaft,
the thrust bearing including a semi-circular plate with a concave
inner edge abutting the lower surface of the crankshaft, a convex
outer edge extending radially from the inner edge to form a thrust
surface, parallel grooves formed on the plate, and a pair of
alignment holes positioned asymmetrically along the thrust surface
relative to the parallel grooves. In any preceding example,
additionally or optionally, the asymmetrically positioned holes and
the parallel grooves define a first face of the thrust bearing, a
second face of the thrust bearing, opposite the first face, in face
sharing contact with the flange wall of a lower of the pair of half
bearings. In any or all of the preceding examples, additionally or
optionally, the first face of the thrust bearing is configured to
be in face-sharing contact with a crankcase cover having a bearing
with a poka-yoke feature, the thrust bearing aligned so that a
protrusion of the poka-yoke feature mates with the asymmetrically
positioned alignment holes. In any or all of the preceding
examples, additionally or optionally, the alignment tab is
configured as a triangular prism with a right angled surface and a
sloped surface, and wherein when the pair of half bearings are
aligned, the alignment tab from each half bearing is juxtaposed
next to each other such that the right angled surface of each half
bearing abuts one another, and the sloped surface of each half
bearing slopes away from one another.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,
and to enable one of ordinary skill in the relevant art to practice
embodiments of the invention, including making and using the
devices or systems and performing the methods. The patentable scope
of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other
examples that occur to one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the
claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the
literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent
structural elements with insubstantial differences from the
language of the claims.
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